Answers for Teachers

Campbell Biology in Focus, AP* Edition

by Lisa A. Urry, Michael L. Cain, Steven A. Wasserman,

Peter V. Minorsky, and Jane B. Reece
*Advanced Placement, Advanced Placement Program, AP, and Pre-AP are registered trademarks of the College Board,
which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse, this product.

Appendix A of the book includes answers for students for figure legend questions, Concept
Check questions, Summary of Key Concepts questions, multiple-choice questions, and
Draw It questions. This document for teachers includes suggested answers and teaching tips
for the Scientific Skills Exercises and suggested answers for the Interpret the Data
questions and the short-answer essay questions at the end of each chapter. The Scientific
Skills Exercises can be assigned in MasteringBiology, where they are graded automatically.

Tips for Grading Short-Answer Essays

The ability to communicate clearly in writing is essential for almost any profession your
students choose to pursue. As teachers, it is often frustrating to be faced with a large class
full of students who have had inadequate preparation in writing skills, knowing that you
don’t have the resources to help your students develop these skills.
The Focus on a Big Idea questions at the end of each chapter are an attempt on the
part of the authors to partner with you in this endeavor. At the end of each chapter, we ask
the student to write a short essay of 100-150 words that relates the material they learned in
the chapter to one of the Big Ideas of biology that are introduced in Chapter 1 and featured
throughout the book. The Focus on a Big Idea exercises can be used as in-class or outside-
of-class assignments.
For ease of grading, sample key points and sample top-scoring answers for the
Focus on a Big Idea questions are provided for teachers in this document. The list of key
points provides a guide to the ideas that students should include in their essays. In addition,
suggested answers to all of the end-of-chapter essay questions can be found in this
document.
The time necessary to grade writing exercises has prohibited many teachers from
assigning them. Using a grading rubric, however, can streamline the process. A suggested
grading rubric for the Focus on a Big Idea essays is shown at the end of these tips and in
the Study Area of MasteringBiology. This rubric can also be modified to use with the other
end-of-chapter essay questions.
The simplest way to use the rubric is to read through each essay and determine how
well the writer has accomplished the four aims listed at the top of the columns. The essay
can then be graded as a 4, 3, 2, 1, or 0 based on the overall quality of the essay.
Alternatively, you could assign 0 to 4 points for each of the aims, and then total the points
out of 16 possible points.
You can also weight one of the aims more highly. For example, if you want to focus
primarily on writing skills (aim #4: Quality of Writing) with the other aims weighted
equally, the score for each aim can be multiplied by a “weighting factor.” Aim #4 could be
assigned 40% of the total points, with aims # 1, 2, and 3 each worth 20%. The score (out of
4) obtained for aim #4 is multiplied by 40, and each of the others multiplied by 20, giving a
total of 400 points (160 + 80 + 80 + 80 = 400).
Using a similar rubric, the Montgomery County Public School System in Maryland
has been able to train a team of teachers to grade thousands of short essays consistently in a
relatively short time. To train teachers, the lead teacher first read through some of the
essays, looking for a representative example of each of the five scores (4, 3, 2, 1, and 0 for
the simplest grading scheme described above). Copies of the five representative essays
(with scores hidden) were passed out to the teachers, asking them to grade the essays based
on the rubric and a 0-4 grading scheme. Subsequent discussion with the teachers about their
essay rankings clarified the standards, after which they were given a few “test” essays to
grade to ensure consistency in grading practices.
There is also a web-based program called Calibrated Peer Review (CPR)
(developed at UCLA with funding from the National Science Foundation and the Howard
Hughes Medical Institute) that trains students to evaluate their own work or that of their
classmates (“peers”). The program is described at http://cpr.molsci.ucla.edu/.
When assigning essays, the teacher should point out the rubric to students (in the
Study Area of MasteringBiology) or provide a customized rubric to students. Students can
then refer to the rubric before writing to see what is expected of them. They can also check
their essay before submitting it to make sure they have met all the criteria in the rubric.
Teachers should also encourage students to read the Writing Tips provided under “Writing
Tips and Rubric” in the Study Area of MasteringBiology, which also includes the
suggested grading rubric.

Suggested Grading Rubric for “Focus on a Big Idea” Short-Answer Essays

Understanding of Use of Supporting Appropriate Use Quality of Writing
Theme and Examples or Details of Terminology
Relationship to Topic
4 Evidence of full and Examples well Accurate scientific Excellent
complete understanding chosen, details terminology organization,
accurate and applied enhances the essay sentence structure,
to theme and grammar
3 Evidence of good Examples or details Terminology is Good sentence flow,
understanding are generally well correctly used sentence structure,
applied to theme and grammar
2 Evidence of a basic Supporting examples Terminology used Some organizational
understanding and details are is not totally and grammatical
adequate accurate or problems
appropriate
1 Evidence of limited Examples and details Appropriate Poorly organized;
understanding are minimal terminology is not grammatical and
present spelling errors
detract from essay
0 Essay shows no Examples lacking or Terminology Essay is very poorly
understanding of theme incorrect lacking or incorrect written
 Suggested Answers and Teaching Tips

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION: EVOLUTION AND THE FOUNDATIONS OF

BIOLOGY

Scientific Skills Exercise

Teaching objective: Students build scientific skills by interpreting data in a pair of bar
graphs and relating the data to the biological system it came from.

Teaching tips: A version of this Scientific Skills Exercise can be assigned in

MasteringBiology.

If this is the first exercise the students are doing related to interpreting graphs, then you will
need to spend time reviewing independent and dependent variables. If the students are
confused by having two independent variables on one graph, have them cover one set of
data while they look at the other (for example, cover the "full moon" portion of graph A
while analyzing the "no moon" portion of it).

In these graphs, there are no statistical significance values given for comparisons between
treatments. In the original paper, there was a statistical difference between predation levels
of light brown versus dark brown mice in light-colored soil enclosures with no moon and in
dark-colored soil enclosures under a full moon. The other two combinations, light-colored
soil under a full moon and dark-colored soil with no moon, had no statistically significant
difference between light and dark mice.

Answers:

1. (a) The independent variables for each graph are the coat color of the mice (light or dark
brown) and the presence or absence of moonlight (full moon or no moon). These are on the
x-axis. Taking both graphs together, a third independent variable is the color of soil in the
enclosure. (b) The dependent variable is the amount of predation, measured as the number
of mice caught. The dependent variable is on the y-axis of the two graphs.

2. (a) About 19. (b) About 12. (c) Based on the data, the mouse would be more likely to
escape on dark soil. This might be because in the moonlight, a dark mouse on light soil
would be more noticeable than one on dark soil.

3. (a) Under a full moon (12 were caught vs. 20 under no moon). (b) Under no moon (11
were caught vs. 18 under a full moon).

4. (a) Dark soil field with a full moon. (b) Light soil with no moon.
5. (a) No moon plus dark brown coat had the highest predation level in the light soil
enclosure (38 mice were caught). (b) Full moon plus light brown coat had the highest
predation level in the dark soil enclosure.
6. Being on the contrasting soil is most deadly for both colors of mice.

7. The total number of mice caught on moonlit nights was about 77 and on nights with no
moon was about 95, so the dark nights seem to be slightly better overall for hunting for
owls.

Interpret the Data

Figure 1.21 In the beach habitat, approximately 27 light models and 73 dark models were
attacked. In the inland habitat, approximately 76 light models and 24 dark models were
attacked.

Suggested Answers for End-of-Chapter Essay Questions

See the general information on grading short-answer essays and a suggested rubric at the
beginning of this document.

7. Scientific Inquiry
Many legitimate hypotheses could be proposed to extend the investigation. Here is one
example. If the camouflage color has arisen through the processes of natural selection due
to visual predators, then you might wonder what would happen if a population of beach
mice lived in an area where predators were absent. It might be possible to do a long-term
study in an area where you excluded predators. Mice have fairly short generation times, so
if predation is “naturally selecting” lighter colored mice, then in the absence of predation
you might predict the coat color would not remain predominantly light in such an
experimental population.

8. Scientific Inquiry
Students are asked to use a PubMed search to identify an abstract of an article authored or
co-authored by Hopi Hoekstra from 2014 forward. It is therefore expected that the range of
abstracts from which students might choose will grow as the Hoekstra lab generates
additional publications.

9. Focus on Evolution
Sample key points:
 Darwin used reasoning based on observations to develop his theory of natural selection
as a mechanism for evolution.
 His observations included:
o Heritable variations exist in each population.
o A population has more individuals than can be supported by the environment.
o Each species seems suited for its particular environment.
 He proposed that the best-adapted individuals in a population would outcompete others
for resources and disproportionately survive and produce more offspring, leading to an
increase in the adaptations seen in the population.
Sample top-scoring answer:
Based on many observations of different species, Darwin proposed his theory that evolution
by means of natural selection accounts for both the unity and diversity of life on Earth. He
noticed that variations existed among the individuals in a population and that these
variations seemed to be heritable. He also saw that populations could grow larger than
could be supported by the resources around them. Finally, he observed that species (like the
different species of finches) seemed to suit their environment. He proposed that the best-
suited individuals in a population would survive and reproduce more successfully that those
less adapted to their environment, and he called this “natural selection.” In Darwin’s view,
this mechanism could account for both the unity and diversity of features among species.
The descent of organisms from a common ancestor explains similar features, while the
force of natural selection in different environments accounts for differences between
organisms.

10. Focus on Information

Common ancestry explains this observation. The thousand-some-odd genes shared by
humans and prokaryotes originated in early prokaryotes. They have been retained, with
some modification, over the billions of years of eukaryotic evolution. These genes no doubt
code for proteins and RNAs whose functions are essential for survival—for example, the
genes that code for ribosomal RNA, which is important for protein synthesis in both
prokaryotes and eukaryotes.

11. Synthesize Your Knowledge

It’s difficult to pick out this gecko against the background of the tree trunk, because the
gecko itself looks like mossy bark. This coloration likely makes it harder for the gecko to
be seen by predators, thus enhancing its survival. This cryptic coloration pattern probably
evolved over generations. The members of a gecko population that more closely resembled
their background would have been less visible to predators, thus more likely to survive,
reproduce, and leave offspring. The offspring would inherit the genes that generated the
mossy bark coloration, and the offspring that blended in better would survive better and
reproduce more successfully. Over generations, the coloration would become a closer and
closer match to the tree bark. (The mossy leaf-tailed gecko is endemic to Madagascar,
meaning it is found only there and nowhere else in the world. Many endemic species live in
Madagascar. This is because it is an island with land features and climatic factors that have
allowed evolution of many species in isolation.)
CHAPTER 2 THE CHEMICAL CONTEXT OF LIFE

Scientific Skills Exercise

Teaching objective: This exercise is designed to give students practice in figuring out what
is shown on a graph, how to describe the major trend(s) in the data, and extracting values
from the graph to calculate related information. The student is then led back to the
biological context of the data to draw a conclusion.

Teaching tips: A version of this Scientific Skills Exercise can be assigned in

MasteringBiology.

Most students can look at a graph and describe the slope of the data line. However, many
struggle with writing out what the trend means in terms of the relationship between what
was reported on one axis relative to the other axis. Thus, while a student may respond that
the data line has a positive slope, they may also respond that a higher calcification rate
results in a higher carbonate ion concentration. Helping them sort out dependent and
independent variables should clear up the problem. Visual learners will benefit from
drawing a mock-up of 1 square meter of the reef, with dots in the water to represent
carbonate ions and arrows to indicate calcification.

In this example, students will need to make the additional mental step of reading the trend
line right to left, instead of left to right (the natural tendency), to reach a conclusion about
the effect of decreased carbonate ion concentration on calcification rate and reef growth.

Answers:

1. (a) The x-axis shows the concentration of carbonate ions in units of micromoles of
carbonate ions per kilogram of seawater. (b) The y-axis shows the calcification rate in units
of millimoles of calcium carbonate accumulated per square meter of reef per day. (c)
Carbonate ion concentration is the independent variable. (d) Calcification rate is the
dependent variable.

2. The data show that the rate of calcification is positively related to the concentration of
carbonate ions in the seawater. As the concentration of carbonate ions increases, the rate of
calcification increases.

3. (a) If the seawater carbonate ion concentration was 270 µmol/kg, the calcification rate
would be approximately 19 mmol CaCO3/m2·day. It would take 1 square meter of reef
approximately 1.6 days to accumulate 30 mmol of CaCO3 [(30 mmol of CaCO3/m2) / (19
mmol CaCO3/m2·day) = 1.6 days]. (b) If the seawater carbonate ion concentration was 250
µmol/kg, the calcification rate would be approximately 12 mmol CaCO3/m2·day. It would
take 1 square meter of reef 2.5 days to accumulate 30 mmol of CaCO3 [(30 mmol of
CaCO3/m2) / (12 mmol CaCO3/m2·day) = 2.5 days]. (c) If carbonate ion concentration
decreases, the rate of calcification decreases, and it takes coral longer to grow.
4. (a) The final step of the process shown in Figure 2.24, the rate of conversion of CO32-
and Ca2+ into CaCO3, is measured in this experiment. (b) The results do support the
hypothesis that increased concentration of atmospheric CO2 could lead to slower growth of
coral reefs. It supports it because, according to the chemistry shown in Figure 2.24, more
CO2 entering the ocean will push the reactions toward formation of more bicarbonate ions,
decreasing the amount of CO32- available for formation of CaCO3. The results in the graph
show that, under the experimental conditions, the lower the concentration of CO32-, the
lower the rate of calcification, and thus the slower the growth of coral reefs (for example,
2.5 days versus 1.6 days to accumulate the same amount of calcium carbonate at a lower
carbonate ion concentration, calculated in question 3).

Interpret the Data

Table 2.1 As you probably know, the human body is made up in large part of water, H2O.
The atoms of oxygen in water, one per water molecule, likely account for the high
percentage of oxygen (65.0%) found in the human body.

Figure 2.19 The inland temperatures (100F, 96F, 106F) are much higher than those
along the coast (73F, 75F, 72F) because oceans are large bodies of water that can absorb
or release heat, moderating the climate nearer the coast.

Concept Check 2.5 #5 A liter of blood would contain 7.8 × 1013 molecules of ghrelin (1.3
× 10–10 moles per liter × 6.02 × 1023 molecules per mole).

Suggested Answers for End-of-Chapter Essay Questions

See the general information on grading short-answer essays and the suggested rubric at the
beginning of this document.

11. Scientific Inquiry

The complex shapes of biological molecules determine the great specificity with which
they interact with one another and form weak or strong bonds.
(a) Hypothesis: Receptor cells on the filaments of the male luna moth’s antennae
contain cell-surface molecules that are complementary in shape to sex attractant
molecules (pheromones) produced by the female luna moth.
(b) This hypothesis leads to several testable predictions. (1) Luna moth pheromones
will bind to specific sites on the cells of the filaments of the male’s antennae. (2) If
it is possible to synthesize molecules that are very similar in shape to luna moth
pheromones, these molecules will also attract male luna moths. (3) Chemical or
temperature treatments that modify the molecular shape of luna moth pheromones
will reduce the attractiveness of these molecules to male luna moths.
(c) An experiment could be designed to test the third prediction. A number of male luna
moths could be exposed to two separate treatments. In the first treatment, unaltered
pheromones would be released near male luna moths, and the response of the moths
would be noted. The second treatment would be identical in every way except that
the pheromone would be heated to permanently modify its molecular shape before it
 was released.

12. Focus on Evolution

It would be surprising if the percentages of naturally occurring elements in most organisms
were not roughly the same, because all organisms evolved on Earth (with its unique
elemental composition) and all are genetically related to one another. (Species living under
unusual conditions might differ more than others, though.) Further, we might predict that
the more similar the percentages of naturally occurring elements are in two species, the
more closely related those two species are.

13. Focus on Organization

Sample key points:
 Water’s versatility as a solvent arises from the polar covalent bonds of water molecules.
 Water molecules form hydrogen bonds with atoms that are part of polar covalent bonds
in other molecules.
 The partially charged regions of water molecules are attracted to oppositely charged
ions.
Sample top-scoring answer:
Water is the solvent of life, a function emerging from the polar covalent bonds of water
molecules. A water molecule consists of an oxygen atom bonded to two hydrogen atoms.
Due to oxygen’s high electronegativity, the shared electrons are attracted closer to the
oxygen at the apex of this V-shaped molecule. The resulting partial negative charge
associated with oxygen and partial positive charge associated with each hydrogen result in
hydrogen bonding between adjacent water molecules.
Water molecules also form hydrogen bonds with atoms in polar covalent bonds in other
molecules, dissolving those molecules. The partial positive and negative regions of water
molecules are also attracted to negatively and positively charged ions, respectively, forming
hydration shells around ions that separate them from each other and dissolve them. Most of
the chemical reactions of life involve solutes that are dissolved in water, so the properties of
water that allow it to form hydrogen bonds are crucial to life on Earth.

14. Synthesize Your Knowledge

The water adheres to the molecules on the cat’s tongue, drawing it upward. The column of
water forms due to both cohesion of water molecules within the column and the surface
tension along the sides of the column. Adhesion, cohesion, and surface tension are possible
because of extensive hydrogen bonding that takes place between water molecules, which in
turn is because of the structure of the water molecule. The oxygen region of the water
molecule has a partial negative charge while the hydrogens each carry a partial positive
charge. This leads to an attraction between the hydrogen of one water molecule and the
oxygen of an adjacent molecule. Hydrogen bonds constantly break and re-form between
water molecules. Although they are individually weak, the large number of them means
that water sticks together very well—as well as to other hydrophilic molecules, such as
those on a cat’s tongue—allowing cats to drink in this way.